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Friday, January 6, 2012

Man charged in Delmar fire plot

DELMAR -- A Delmar man is facing arson conspiracy charges after allegedly plotting with two teenage boys to burn down a neighboring house on East Chestnut Street.
Thomas John McGuire, 42, was taken into police custody this week and was being held on $50,000 bond following a District Court bail review hearing Thursday.
In addition to arson conspiracy, McGuire has also been charged with malicious burning, contributing to the condition of a child and reckless endangerment.
At the time the charges were filed, McGuire had been released from the Wicomico County Detention Center on $50,000 bond related to assault, reckless endangerment, weapon possession with intent to injure and false imprisonment charges filed by Delmar police in late December.
The more recent charges were filed following a monthlong investigation into a fire inside a two-story vacant house. The fire caused about $30,000 worth of damage to the home.
Thirty-nine firefighters from Delmar, Salisbury, Hebron and Mardela Springs were dispatched for the reported fire and were able to control the blaze within 40 minutes, according to the Fire Marshal's Office.
No injuries were reported.
Two 15-year-old male juveniles were also charged with arson and burglary in December.
One of the juveniles charged allegedly admitted to setting the fire during an interview with state fire marshal investigators, according to charging documents. McGuire allegedly talked to him about how to set the house next door on fire and gave him instructions on how to make it look like an accident.
"(A witness) stated Thomas McGuire was telling (the juvenile suspect) how it was an eyesore and how he hated seeing it every day."
The witness also alleged McGuire gave the teen a Lunesta, a sleeping pill, to "make things interesting," according to investigators.
The teen told investigators after he allegedly set the house on fire, McGuire called the fire department.
A District Court trial for McGuire is scheduled for mid-March

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Looks like we have a real winner here.